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Leica launches Professional Business Unit [Merged]


erlingmm

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So, Leica launches a dedicated professional unit, covering S, SL and Sinar products.

 

Great, let us see what this means for repair times, and especially for the handling of the AF issue on the S lenses.

 

This press release: 

http://leicarumors.com/2016/09/19/leica-launches-professional-business-unit.aspx/

also indicated that there will be trade-in and even financing options.

 

Interesting, depending on price of course.

Edited by erlingmm
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So Leica considers the M not be a professional camera: "The Professional Business Unit combines marketing and sales activities in the B2B sector. This includes the Leica S medium format system, the mirrorless Leica SL-System and the entire product portfolio of the Leica Camera AG subsidiary, Sinar Photography."

 

http://leicarumors.com/2016/09/19/leica-launches-professional-business-unit.aspx/

Edited by Giulio Zanni
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"The Professional Business Unit combines marketing and sales activities in the B2B sector. This includes the Leica S medium format system, the mirrorless Leica SL-System and the entire product portfolio of the Leica Camera AG subsidiary, Sinar Photography."

 

http://leicarumors.com/2016/09/19/leica-launches-professional-business-unit.aspx/

 

 

Well the M probably hasn't been considered a 'professional' camera by Leica for years. Not unreasonably though but that doesn't mean that customer care for M users should be anything short of outstanding considering the cost of the system.

 

I hadn't initially noticed that the SL was included in the PBU.  Priority service for the S I can understand, and for someone who is a 'professional', i.e. makes their living from their cameras using any Leica system if they prove and register with Leica as such.

 

Otherwise, I don't think that an M user should be further down the Leica food chain than an SL user regarding customer care and service.

Edited by MarkP
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Yes-and?  As far as a "professional tool" may be defined other than as a "tool used by professionals" I suspect that the real reason behind omitting the M from the list is that there is no real news on the M at Photokina.

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I think it's correct not to consider M line as a professional camera : probably they have more significant data.... but my feeling is that the percentage of M users who use it mainly as their worktool is rather low.... I think it isn't Worth for Leica to setup for M Platform the pro-tailored service offering which seems to be the relevant content of this announcement.

 

Of course, ANY photographic tool (i.e., a smartphone too...) can be used for professional tasks, and M is clearly such, as many professionals can confirm.

Edited by luigi bertolotti
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Could it be that the M system is considered to be  more specialized with strengths that lie outside the photographic needs of the business fraternity?  The M system excels at reportage, low light, travel and documentary photography; these are not high on the priority list of business.  Perhaps something along those lines would explain Leica's exclusion of the M from this program.

 

Given that over the decades there have been legions of talented and successful documentary photographers who have had long and prolific careers using the M - to include scores of Magnum photographers - the M can hardly be considered anything other than a professional camera system.

 

 

 

 

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Yes-and?  As far as a "professional tool" may be defined other than as a "tool used by professionals" I suspect that the real reason behind omitting the M from the list is that there is no real news on the M at Photokina.

 

They already deal with M cameras on a 'professional' basis - if you can legitimately register as such they are extremely efficient.

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I think it's correct not to consider M line as a professional camera : probably they have more significant data.... but my feeling is that the percentage of M users who use it mainly as their worktool is rather low.... I think it isn't Worth for Leica to setup for M Platform the pro-tailored service offering which seems to be the relevant content of this announcement.

 

Of course, ANY photographic tool (i.e., a smartphone too...) can be used for professional usage, and M is clearly such, as many professionals can confirm.

I am one of the few :-). I still don't get this as, as I wrote somewhere else, the M is still the backbone of Leica, with the S being a niche product strifing to compete with amazing digital backs and the SL being a recent product with only a couple of lenses for the moment. I however I do agree that with the reliabilty problems that the S is facing it does need special care. I had to wait for two months before having my M back from service and if I didn't have a second body I would have been left pretty much naked... I am really disappointed about where Leica is heading, the M is their unique product and they should baby-sit it. They are not going to conquer the market with the SL and the S. A great number of SL buyers are those that already have a number of M lenses.

Edited by Giulio Zanni
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while an M can be used professionally, it is by no means a professional camera. The Canon 1Dx, Nikon D5, Leica S are pro cameras.

Professional services like CPS or NPS requires you to prove to be a professional and to own at least a professional body and a number of lenses but then they cover all Canon and Nikon porducts. The service should be granted to the working professional. And, the 1Dx and the D5 are reliable, the S is not, that's why maybe it needs special care :-)

Edited by Giulio Zanni
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Obviously the M can be the right tool for professional use, especially in disciplines like wedding photography, reportage and travel  and fine art etc. but I think that it should be classified as a camera for the advanced amateur market built to a professional standard.

 

Leica facilitates registered working professional photographers in much the same way already, and it appears that they are stepping up their effort.

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And then there is this in another article:

 

 

Leica Camera has announced a partnership with Pro Centre in the UK, providing a rental and sales service for its professional product portfolio, including the Leica S (Typ 007) medium format system and range of S lenses, the Leica M rangefinder system and lenses, and the new mirrorless Leica SL system.

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I had to wait for two months before having my M back from service.....

 

Have you registered as a professional? I've had a turn around of under a week (to Germany, fixed, and returned) when I needed a repair. Actually much better  turn around than on my 'pro' dSLR - even with relevant 'status'!

Edited by pgk
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Have you registered as a professional? I've had a turn around of under a week (to Germany, fixed, and returned) when I needed a repair. Actually much better  turn around than on my 'pro' dSLR - even with relevant 'status'!

Yes I did. My problem is also that I am frequnetly travelling. I was CPS before and I am still NPS. No need to send the cameras to Japan, they would service them worldwide.

Edited by Giulio Zanni
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I think it's correct not to consider M line as a professional camera : probably they have more significant data.... but my feeling is that the percentage of M users who use it mainly as their worktool is rather low.... I think it isn't Worth for Leica to setup for M Platform the pro-tailored service offering which seems to be the relevant content of this announcement.

 

Of course, ANY photographic tool (i.e., a smartphone too...) can be used for professional tasks, and M is clearly such, as many professionals can confirm.

 

+1
I am a retired professional photographer I spent 35 years shooting commercial assignments. In this 21st century there are far more relevant tools. If I were still earning a living today. I would not choose the M even as one of my primary cameras. Although its IQ is more than acceptable. The rangefinder, manual focus, and the M's limited lenses are an unnecessary drawback. Not to mention the ridiculous cost of Leica equipment and repairs.

 

This is not to say that the M cannot be used in a few narrow forms of today's professional photography just as the 8X10 still has its narrow place. There are just better cheaper and easier ways to get the same results with today's technology.

 

Let me clear, I'm not bashing the M at all....I truly love the system. I shoot with an M because its fun and liberating to not have all those layers of menus....it takes me back to a time when both photography and I were young.

 

..........I should also say that film has only a very narrow place in commercial photography today as well. Beyond the art market, all of its cool idiosyncrasies can be duplicated in Photoshop......better, easier, cheaper and faster

 

"you better start swimmin’ or you’ll sink like a stone

For the times they are a-changin’ "

Bob Dylan 1963

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Yes I did. My problem is also that I am frequnetly travelling. I was CPS before and I am still NPS. No need to send the cameras to Japan, they would service them worldwide.

 

That's just a question of scale. I assume that Leica simply do not have sufficient market share to instigate a world-wide service program (as yet ;) ). That said, my experience of the others is not so good I'm afraid.

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+1

I am a retired professional photographer I spent 35 years shooting commercial assignments. In this 21st century there are far more relevant tools. If I were still earning a living today. I would not choose the M even as one of my primary cameras. Although its IQ is more than acceptable. The rangefinder, manual focus, and the M's limited lenses are an unnecessary drawback. Not to mention the ridiculous cost of Leica equipment and repairs.

 

This is not to say that the M cannot be used in a few narrow forms of today's professional photography just as the 8X10 still has its narrow place. There are just better cheaper and easier ways to get the same results with today's technology.

 

Let me clear, I'm not bashing the M at all....I truly love the system. I shoot with an M because its fun and liberating to not have all those layers of menus....it takes me back to a time when both photography and I were young.

 

..........I should also say that film has only a very narrow place in commercial photography today as well. Beyond the art market, all of its cool idiosyncrasies can be duplicated in Photoshop......better, easier, cheaper and faster

 

 

"you better start swimmin’ or you’ll sink like a stone

For the times they are a-changin’ "

Bob Dylan 1963

I am not a commercial photographer, I do fine art prints for galleries and the M is very relevant for what I do. I have been using all sort of cameras in the past and if I settled with a Monochrom is because I believe is the best tool for what I do but I don't want to through this discussion once again. The point that I am trying to make here, is that considering what they are charging for their cameras and lenses they should provide also adequate service. Saying that professional srevice is limited to S, SL and Sinar is poor marketing strategy.

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